Living in an Unseen World Ch. 02

Still no sex yet but i have some teasing encounters planned next chapter :D

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Chapter 2

New Neighbors

Rain fell in fat drops from the sky. I was soaked and water kept running into my eyes making my vision blurry. I frantically wiped at the never ending flow from my scalp to my eyes. I was scared, so scared. It was a real and palpable fear that weighed heavy in the air. It was such a terror I feared the tension would break my body like a rubber band wound too tight. I had to find her. The fearful shadows had returned and claimed my sister. I heard a shrill scream in the distance; the kind of scream that you don't hear but feel resonating in your very core. The sound of my sister's sheer terror drove me mad. I was no longer in control. Logical thought had no place in my mind only blinding rage and fear for Layla; but how do you fight what you can't find? I looked and looked but every time I would reach a shadow it would dissipate leaving no trace of my sister. I was to the point of insanity with terror and frustrated rage. It was as if the shadows were taunting me with evil grins and animalistic snarls. The winds' violent howling only frustrating me more until, finally, I glimpsed a dark figure. I pounced grasping with my bare hands and willpower I never knew I could summon. Gripping the creature's thick coat I bit and kicked like an animal myself. The creature turned and I fought it head on with my limited natural weapons but I was no match. I was quickly in fear for my own life now. I realized I was fighting a losing battle with a massive black wolf.

I woke to the quiet creak of my door opening followed by the shuffling of slipper clad feet and the muffled thump of a cane on my room's rug. As I turned to see Widow Wilson's familiar figure beside my bed my eyes finished adjusting to the dark room. I looked into the worried face of my beloved friend and found my fear mirrored there. We didn't have to say anything we had both felt it in our own way. Something dangerous was coming directly for us and it was so dangerous the Great Ebb and Flow was screaming out a warning to us.

I stepped out onto the porch and the screen door clanged shut behind me. I looked into the dark quiet pre-dawn and scanned the ranch's horizon. It seemed hard to believe I had ever lived anywhere else. I didn't like to think about before. This was our home and the place we belonged. Ever since setting foot here I had finally found peace and the shackles of my old life were forgotten.

Life had not been fun for us on the outside. The constant sights that only we could see and the constant things only we could feel and know that broke the laws of possibility; left us isolated at an early age. Layla, though, with her kind soul blossomed regardless. She could find the upside to anything. She smiled regardless of the bad and savored the small good we had in life but even that wasn't enough to stop the pain. The constant bombardment of pain from everything seen and unseen left her weak and frail. We had no control over our powers and no one to help us. She didn't know how to shut off her abilities and the evil of the world stifled her shining soul. She was like a beautiful flower being choked by the weeds of this world.

I think I just frightened everyone. I saw things that weren't there and knew things before they happened. Even bullies gave me a wide berth because of my temper and uncanny habit of throwing the first punch and then knowing where they would strike before it happened. Dreams of the future burned into my brain every night and at a touch I could see a persons' life: past, present, or future. Sometimes the visions would overwhelm my mind leaving me incapacitated on the ground. It was even worse when my other gifts developed and I could see the unseen of our world. Spirits and souls would bombard me while dark fey would constantly harass me. It wasn't an easy time for either of us growing up.

As we grew it became evident we were more and more of a disappointment to our parents. They feared us but felt obligated. We were essentially alone just the two of us from birth. Our parents left us to our own devices. We didn't even bother to say goodbye when Layla graduated and we left. We didn't even look back at our childhood home as we set off with two back packs, five hundred dollars, and a clunker of a truck.

We didn't know where we were going we just followed the flow of energy that called us. We had little money and traveled cheap: sleeping in the car, showering at rest stops, even gathering food in woods along the road. After about a week of travel following the winding current we reached Skyband Ranch.

We pulled up the drive to find Widow Wilson smiling happily with cookies and tea. She had been waiting for us and we were finally home. We needed Gran as much as she needed us her husband had died three years ago and her hired hand had graduated and was heading off to college. There was no way she could have worked the ranch herself. Skyband Ranch used to be a working cattle ranch but now that Widow Wilson was collecting on the propertie's mineral rights there was no need for it. It became a home for rescued animals to live out the rest of their lives peacefully in this beautiful oasis. Widow Wilson had decided to care for these animals out of pocket because it was what the land was meant for.

The current that we had followed made a loop around the whole property and formed an extremely rare pocket of constant spiritual renewing energy where only the living could enter. It truly was the perfect place to mend the broken souls of this world human an animal alike. What made it perfect for us was that spirits and dead souls couldn't cross the barrier or even remain near for too long. The flow was too powerful for them to resist being re-absorbed for too long and the dark evil fey couldn't live happily with such a small population to torment.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of the screen door as Layla joined me on the porch. She began checking her boots and pulling them on as I waited contentedly. We were starting a bit late this morning but the break of the dawn made me feel replenished and renewed. Layla and I walked headlong into the sunrise with confident strides to tend our home and its other broken occupants.

Despite my dreams and Gran's premonitions I felt at peace pushing the looming black cloud to the back of my mind for now. After we finished our chores we decided to take it easy that hot Saturday and saddled Buck and Sunny to head down to the large creek to relax in the cool muddy water. We spent the better part of our afternoon swimming and goofing off until our stomachs reminded us it was way past lunchtime.

The day was going great and we were both anticipating the great lunches Gran always prepared for us special on the weekends. We were riding up a little recklessly knowing we'd probly get a scolding from Gran but in too good a mood to be overly bothered by it, when I sensed it. Layla and I swung down from our horses with one mindset both having felt gran's distress at the same time. I tossed Buck's reigns to layla not even looking to see if she caught them. I bolted around the barn between the garage and house to find Gran toe-to-toe with four very large and very intimidating men. As I reached them and positioned Gran behind me she let her tirade trail off.

"Everything ok Gran?" I asked not taking my eyes off the very tall, very built, very handsome, and very dangerous seeming man standing a little too close to us for comfort.

"Everything is fine, we were merely propositioning Mrs. Wilson here-" the man began before being cut off by Gran's agitated voice.

"They're trying to get they're filthy claws into my land! They've been buying up all the surrounding properties even all that uncleared woodland right behind us! I told them no, no, and no again but they just won't take no for an answer!"

As Gran filled me in I attempted to take in our antagonists but couldn't seem to take my eyes off the man right in front of me. I noticed his smell first, a musky spicy scent that brought crushed pine needles and a wildly intimate romp in the woods to mind. He was over six feet with a powerfully muscled build that still hints to a lithe and agile body. As my eyes reached his face I noticed the almost ivory skin in bold contrast to the dark short curles atop his head. I completely froze when I met the steele of his eyes. Gray and clear and meeting my gaze with enough intensity to make me feel like jell-o. I knew in the back of my mind we were reaching awkward level of staring at each other but I couldn't look away. My heart was beating like a maniac and I knew my breathing was becoming rapid. I didn't know if I was more fearful of him or more drawn to him.

I felt Gran grasp my shoulder and heard Layla round the house and we finally broke our gaze. I felt dizzy and shaken. Like I had just run a marathon and completely burned all my energy. I attempted to regain composure while ignoring the odd looks everyone else from both parties were giving us. Just as I opened my mouth to ask the frightening men to leave the mysterious leader apologized for bothering us and respectfully put our encounter to an end without so much as another glance my way. We watched them get into their expensive black SUV and disappear down the dirt road and off the ranch.

I shakily made my way to the back porch and sunk wearily into a rocking chair only to find Layla and Gran giving me worried questioning looks. I ran a shaky hand across my face before asking whether they had felt the same feelings I had. Layla and Gran both admitted to sensing they were powerful but neither of them had the strong reaction I had had to any of the strange men. Gran asked me to explain in detail how I had felt and I complied even though it embarrassed me for some reason. As I explained Gran's expression grew grim. She sat down and began to rock for a long time before she finally startled us by speaking.

"They're wolves. They're pretty rare around here, much less in the U.S., because they are extremely territorial and stay on a certain territory forever. We obviously have a pack moving into our back yard and it worries me. We have no way of telling what kind of pack this is and why on earth they have left their ancestral territories. I pray this is not the darkness we have been warned of. We can't possibly handle a whole pack by ourselves...." More deep thought and worried looks settled over her face, "Move the horses in from the far pastures just to be safe. You girls don't go too far out without each other either..."

Layla and I knew Werewolves existed but the new, news still came as a shock to the both of us. Meeting Gran's eyes she looked pointedly at me and gave me a grave warning that reawakened my fears of the night before.

"Don't get too close to wolves it's a good way to get bit."